Improvement in machinery for making wire meddles



UNITEDA STATES PATENT OFFICE MiLfroN FINKLE, on Urrea., NEW YORK,

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 7,261, dated April 9, 1850.

To all whom Ait may oonoerm Be it knownthat I, MILTONFINKLE, ofthe city ot' Utica, in the county ot' Oneidau and State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful IInI'IrovenIents in the Machinery used for Making Tire Hi'ddlcs for lVeavers Harness; and l do hereby declare that the following' is a full and exact desc'T tion ot' the construction and operation' ot' the saine.

The machinery now used for making wire heddlcs does not form a complete and finished heddle, but leaves part ot' the Work to eomplete the same still to be done by hand and by the aid of other machinery. Y

The nature of myiuvention consists in proriding; additions t0 the machinery thus used, by which the 'heldle is made complete' and inished by oneop'elation in one and the saine machine.

The drawingshereto annexed, and which make a par-tof this Specific tion, exhibit the Whole machine as improved. This appears in Figure l. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 exhibit some oi' the additional parts which constitute the improvement.. Fig. 6 exhibits the heddle as constructed by the machine now in use; Fig. 7, that as made by theimproved machine. Fig. 8 exhibits a sclv'ageheddle as made by the present machine 5 Fig. l), that as made bythe improved one, the latter being a com plete` `heddle read y for use, and the i'ornier requiring to be completed by hand or otherwise after it comes from the machine. I

A B is anioblong traine, on which the machinery is laid.'7 lt is ahoutfour feet long,` and aboutseve teen inches'wide, the drawings here being' abou one-haltl theactual dimensions of the machine, or six inches to the foot. The moving-power is appliedv through a belt upon the pulley U. This pulley is on the outer cud ot' a horizontal shalt lying across vthebaok end ot' the machineand hid inthe drawings by thc wheels upon it, except the axle Y." This shaft is the prime mover ot' all the machinery. On 44-fthe opposite end from the pulley U is the blank- .fwheel D. 0n this shaft are also the interinoA Adiate\wheels, El, the teeth on each of which are on the side ofthe riIn and not on the pcriphery; and also the wheel Gr With a section -ot spur-teeth on its peri pln'ry. The side teeth i on the wheels E and F also occupy only a part of the circle, the residue in each wheel 'being` l blank andV thetceth inthe Wheel E are di I vided into two parts or sections, leaving a 'I short blank space bet\veen.- The `trst or forward section, being` the'shortest, is' devoted tothe insertion of the slack twist in =one half:`

the drawings,) which, through'a cam upon it, moves a horizontal rod on the rear part of the as the machine has been'heretofore used areverse shaft.

small spur-wheels lll-and The .teeth on wheel G as the latterjis moved in the direcand the pulley7 P on the shaftI' are suddenly v turned until the section of teeth G passes the Gr again strike the Wheel ll/I. each revolution ot the wheel G. I The teeth ou the Wheel N Work .in the teeth on the-horizon'- tal ratchet-bar O, which is made to slide easily backv and forth inalongitudinaldirection, and

when the movementj ust described occurs this ratchet-bar 0 is suddenlyrdrawnback. vThisalso occurs at each revolution'ot'the -Wheel G. Around the vpulley P is'wound a cord, the

vcord is attachedto the, lever .S T, which,

up by the pulley P, ,and .the lever S is raised. Tnis'lever, beingdrawn back-by the tension ot' the coiled spring` U, would bring back the wheel N and with it the ratchet-bar (Las soon as the section oi' teeth G passes the Wheel M, it' not otherwisc-prevented but, as the bar O is drawn back, the end et ot' the crooked lever 4 5 slides along on the top-of this bar, and the lip 4 Vfalls down as the end w of this bar ofthe heddle, as hereinafter deserioethand the.4 last to the formation of the twists Which-form the loops or eyes of thehedd-le. There-is also another small wheel onthisshaft, (not seen in machine, Ethisjrodopera-ting shears, which' at the point 3 cut oft the Wire in vsuitable lengths as it comes from the reel J. Theseall the wheels which occupy this trans`A4 y The shaft L'parallei to the one ,inst described, and. resting in Vbearings in thetops of the posts K and L, has upon it theA the wheel M are caught by the teeth on the I V.

tion G E.V By this means the Wheels M N Wheel M, when the shaft I andthe Wheels uponit stand still until the section'of teethA This occursat lower end of whichl is seen at R S. At R this hanging` loosely 011- the screw T, is held down by the coiled spring U. VAs the rttchet-bar O; Yis dra-.Wn back bythe'turuing'o the shaft I,

as before,deseri'b'ed', the` cord R S. is wound passes it and blocks it here and prevents its -rjeturinand here it is stationary while the operation of twisting and cutting ott' the wire, hereinafter described, are performed. At thee instant these operations are performed a pin on the wheel E (not seen in the drawings) strikes the upright lever 6, which, through the wire 2, raises the lip et of the levert 5, from behind the end of the ratchet-bar o ze, when the lever S, hanging upon the pulley P, instantly bring back the ratchet-bar o w to the position show nh in the drawings. All these movements,

it is evident, recur at each revolution of the pulley C. This ratchet-bar 0, as seen in the drawings, extends along under the arch Vto the cutting-block W, against which it is stopped whenv thrust back by the. process just described.. About midway in its length this ratchet-bar is claspedbythe hasp X, fixed.

tight to its place. The lower end of this hasp.,

v as seen at Y`,takes hold of the wire rod Z.

This rod is sustained byv proper bearings, and runs ,horizontally quite through the shafts a b and c d, which are hollow, the other end of itbeing'seen at f. The reciprocating move.v

ments (before mentioned) of the ratchet bar o l w, by means ot' a hasp, X Y, carry with this bar the rod Z j'. This movement draws inthe wire in suitable lengths as it is unwonn-d from machine.

A more particular description of the agencies employed in this process is as follows:

The wheel F, on the prime moving-shaft first. described, has on the side of its riml the section of teeth seen at F. These in the circuit of the wheel strike the small pinion-g on the shaft h, turningl the latter a dista-nce corre# sponding to the section of teeth at F during each revolutionof. the wheel F. 'Thismo-ve ment of the shaft h` by means of gearing seen at k turns "a pair of feedingrollers, oneof which is'seen at t t, drawing from the reel J a length of wire sufficient fora heddle at each revolution of the wheel F. This wire, passing between the blades of shears at the point 3, isbrought transversely along in front of the machine, within thecoils land m ont-he m to the exact length required4 for a heddle,

is cut off at the point 3, its center being pre. sented-immediately 'over the point i' of the rod Z r f. About half an inch from the end f of this rod is a notch or catch, (seen at r.) At the of the heddle, Fig. 6.

instant when the wire is .cnt off, as before mentioned, the side l m of the plates n p is slightly Y let down, carrying the Wire down in the 'channel l m, the center in the piece of wire fallin-g directly beforethe catch i in the rod Z rf. At this instant the movement heretofore described in the ratchet-bar o w takes place, suddenly vdrawing back the rod Z rj'.

itdouble quite through the hollow shafts d c b a.. From d vto a is not one continuous shaft. From 'a to b is oneshaft, and from o .tord another, the wheels at b and c being on the ends of thesev shafts respectively, the pinchers toccapying the space between. The jaws of these pinchers are extended as the wire is drawn in,

and when the wire arrives at the proper place the )inchers are closed seizingthetwo strands ot' the wire. The place inthe wire held by these pinchers corresponds to afin the drawing The holding ofthe wirc bythe pin'chers here prevents its twisting at thsjpoint, andthe twisting on each side ofa by the turning of the shafts a. 'b and c d, Fig. l, forms the loo'p (t, Fig. 6. The loop tis formed as the wire is drawn into the machine, lapping around the oblong square fr onthe end ot' the -rodfig this oblong square operating as the `wedge tokeep the wires apart at this place At the while' the twist e, Fig. 6, is -given. pointsm n o s the wires are kept apart, so as to concentrate the twist ot' the wire at e i' hf, by wedges thrustbetwec'n the wires here on the instant before the twists are given, these wedges turningwiththewiresintherevolutions which make the twists. One of these wedges is seen at V, Fig. 1, the upper side being denoted by the, diagonal line under the letter.A

It is 'thrust down between the wires, as above mentioned, by the collar aff. This collar, and a. siinilarone von, the adjoining shaft at .fr y, are moved by the forks c and e, attached to `the horizontal rod 9 10, these forks passing be 'tween ihe guides f j', and embracing the` eollars on both sides, the, latter sliding easily on the shafts. These wedges are withdrawn by the .collars being withdrawn, and by the force ot' a pin passing through the collar, as at a, in the collar ufff, the pin passing under the handle or neck of the wedge, the latter being fastened-to the shaft and lying on this pin. x y is the other collar, performing a similar ofiice to that ataj'j, the 'wedge not being here seen. The rod 9 l0, as is seen in the draw ings, is the agent which moves these collars, the iinpu'lse being received from a pin, c c, on the side of the rinn o' the wheel Gr, this pin striking a cam on the end ot' the bar l1l and pressing this bar, and through it the rod,9 l0, slightly forward. When the twists are given to the heddle and these Wed ges are withdrawn, as herein mentioned, the return movement of the ratchet-bar o w carries out theheddle, and

l g The catch r on the rod, seizing the wire in its center, carries f tothe heddle.

. tween m anda and between o and s. are intended to stiiien the wire and keep the strands together. vThis slack twist between Fig.'6. These pinchersseize'the vwire"immediately after itis drawnj lin by therrodj' Z, Fig.

1, `ancthe'y hold `fast-"till the necessary'A twists the standsoo'on each 'side of it, and the pinchers are" worked by'tlie leyerA IV pressing Y down the part 3,v which is caught bythe catch VI. The like islthefcase with the pinchers t.

The under part, being pressed down by the lever 1X, is caught bythe catch X. These pinchers are held bythe respective catches Vl and X while the necessary twists areA given They are then disengaged by the bar 19 20, this bar being thrust forward by a pin on the periphery of the blank-wheel D, t-his'pin striking the oblique end 21 of this bar, setting it slightly forward, disengaging the catches VI and X, whenthebar resumes its place again through the tension of the wire springs 22 and 23. VThe lever*lV-` is worked by the pin. VH on the blank-wheelD, this pin strikingtheend VH1 of the lever 1V at each' revolution.. In like manner the pinchers't are worked by the lever 1X, the latter receiving its impulse from another pinon theablank wheel D. v

It will be seen on reference Vto Fig. 6 that there4 is a slack twist in the wire strands be- Theseo and s is caused `by one of thel sections of teetlron the wheel E striking the pinion g on the shaft 'i i, .the smallest of these sections r of teeth striking the pinion g4 first. By this means the shaft c d makes one revolution, insertingthe slack twist, seenfroni Oto S, Fig. 6. At this instant va slid-ing wedge, working on the flange or collar 4, Fig.` 1,oc`e-upies the space S, Fig. 6, between the wires,"preventing the turning of the wires beyond this point. The slack twist from on. to n, Fig. 6, is inserted at the same time of that from o to s, but not by the same agency. I t is eii'ectedby pins on the wheels Gr and E striking a pair of treadles, from which a. cord is hung uponaJ pulley above, giving this pulley for this purpose one revolution, and through it one ,revolution is also .given to the hook-rod Z j', which holds the wire, as before described. -These treadles andV pulley are not seenin thel drawin gs. The wed ges in the shafts a b and c l are then inserted due ing the passage of the space between the sections of teeth on thelwheel E, and then the passage ofthe larger ysection of teeth adds the closer twisten each side of the several loops of the heddle.l

The partsof'the machine thus described are those which constitute the machine as heretofore used, and the heddleproduced by it, as

before stated, is that shown in F ig. (i, leaving the loop at s only partially formed, having aj twist -ononesideonly, and leaving the burr V without being cut o ii, thus rendering innec-` hand and` with the aid. of.Y other inachineryf,

ments mentioned"are designed. Thesefir'na also passes the centerl of thewheel p.

point where the loop d, Fig, 7, is to be formed# the slidev bar a. b, Fig.2, which, being pressed given to form the loop d, Figa?. Fig.2 represents this wheel withV the slideb'ar a b fitted which the wire passes, and "tothe wedge fixed to vthe slide-bar, and which moves with it, and at the proper time is thrustfbetwee'in"V to passout. The cavity c passes through the slide-bar a 'J and the collar p, as well as through' thewheeh In the slide-bar this cavity is an collar is taken oli', exhibiting` its -nnder side and showing more plainly the wedge tf The; collar p, Figsf and 4., are identical Fig. 4f sho wingl its under side. lt is fastened to the the wheel, a similar'bearing being turned up on the opposite side. These bearings rest on supportingstands fined on either side, and so placed that the center c, Fig; 2, of the wheel' ,iis directly opposite the center of the shaft d," essary, in order to linish the heddle, that, by y Fig. 1, or in line with the position of the the burr V should beV cutv oft', `and` a `perfect loop formed at s,jby giving it .a proper shape and a twist on both sides. The heddle would then be finished and ready for use, as shown.; in Fig.' 7. It is to do this work'at one andv the same operationwith-that above described, and by this same machine, thatrthe improvelj provements consistof `theadditionalparts this machine, which are shown in vthe draw:` ings, and which I willnowp'oceed to describe.

No other prime 'mover' is added tothe m'a--f chine, but the impulse which propels "the-fadditional machinery is receivedfromlthe trans- 'y verse shaft already described, on1 which are.. the pulleyGand the Awheels-Ill E F,"\Fig.1.- 0n this shaft is placed, for the-purpose,f1the i additionalwheel H. v On this'w-heel also atei two sections of side teeth, oneof-whichl is faintly seen at H, being on the opposite Aside of the wheel from, the View. These teeth f strike the pinion u `on the horizontal shaft-st f On the opposite `end of this 4shaft-is thepin-I i ion a, which. carries the wheel conv the4 short-* shaft d. v0n the opposite endbfths short' shaft is` the layer wheel Vh o,lwhich Lmatches with and turns the wheel 1a. Thisfbringsthe f motion to thel place ofthe heddlewher'e'it Ais formed. `'1herodf1^Z,which passes through the hollow shafts a b and ed, as before described, f

This@ wheel, when the wire forthev formationof the'` heddle is drawn in, as before described, encir cles the two strands of the wire atfthe exact There is iixed upon the side ofthisfwheel g back and forthalternately, andat the proper-"A, l juncture in the movement' ofthe otherfm'a chinery, carries with it a wedge,'whichpasses ff between the strands of the wire and remains] there while 'the twists on? eachs'ide of itfarej toit. C is the hole in its center,'through A `the strands of the wire,and againat the u proper time is withdrawn to allow the heddle'` oblong slot, as seen at O, Fig; 4, wherethe 'wheel by screws at T71', Fig. 2,and'its -ciif-H -"ccnnference forms abeari'ng or gudgeon for y 'wire rod f Z. f This wheel, therefore, is moved `ilidependent of the shaft 01"'cylinderv d.v

and the lever IV, at the same time that it presses down the lever 3 4, which thrusts the i `inch between the wedge and the side of the pinchers. Thehandles2 3 are seen in the drawi ing'the wire, as befbredescribed. The more, `ments of these parts of themachine are as fol- .before mentioned on the wheel H, which Wheel P a -motion only suiiicient to bring the quires in the direction of the proper movement' forming the otherloops of the heddle are also l inserted, as before described. At this junctl other partsjof theheddle by the turning of the i'onu, giving to the wheel-Pfour and three-l I Athe loop d, and leavingthefslide-bar. a b," Fig.

i thevwheel P, Fig.v1, being in the same direction as that vof the adjoining shaft d. The forb is the' upper end of the slide-bar a b, Fig. 2,' andthis, `after the wire is drawn in, as before described, is presented vertically directly under the crooked. lever 3 4 0 at the point 4,

closes the pinchers 2.3, as before described, also wedge' attached to the slide-bar on the side of the'whcel P, and more plainl-y shown at a b,- Fig. 2, vbetween the two 'strands ofthe wire, leavinga space of about threeeighths of an ings, Fig. I ,the pinchers at the same time seizlows The first of the two sections of teeth strikes the'pinio'n u, is the shortest of the two. This sectionfoi teeth operating on this pinion and moving the gearing at a c o gives to the slide-bar .and wedge connected with it, as before described, to a.verti cal position. This, fromits occupying a horizontal position, re-

cnly three-fourths of a revolution, leaving this slide-bar, after the passage of the first section of teeth on vthe'wheel H, as aforesaid, in a vert-ical position, the end b, Fig.`2, being upward. Instantly after this is done the slide bar is/thrust down,and with it the wedge t c, the latter passing between the two strands of the wire to form the loop d, Fig. 7.: At the same time the wedges before mentioned for ure, and while the twists are given to the shaftsfa, b and c'd, as before described, and by a simultaneous movement,the other and larger section of teethon the wheel H strikes the pin` quarters revolutions, forming thereby the necessary twists c and-e, Fig. 7, oneach sideof 2, again in a=horizontal position, as at the beginnin g, this position being necessary in order that' the loop here formed should correspond to thatat the. opposite end ofthe heddle, both presenting a face transverse to the center loop n j In'the. twist'l'e, Figi-"7, there are double the number of turnsl in the wire of that in the twist. c.- This is occasioned by the motion of mer having twice as ,many revolutions as the latterl but one halt' of those revolutions on the `side' ,Fig 7, (the'wheel'occupying the 'space 11,) 'are required to neutralize the turns given by the shaft d, leaving only' one-'half for positive twist in the wire. This disproportionl iny the twists c and e is useful in w giving a sanicient number at C, while the increased number at e renders the connection at this point stronger and more certain to hold.

l Fig. 3 simply represents the wheel, Fig. 2,

aiiixed, which cuts ott' these fwireends the. instant after the necessary.' twists are given to'formthe heddle. This cutter is seen ata,

Fig. 5. It .slides up and down' loosely between -the jawof the pinchers and the overlapping guards O O. 'Its edge ispresented to the wire downward, and is made to cut ott' the wire ends 'closeto thejaws of the pinchersimmediatelyv after the twists are given. Through the top of this cutter is a small hole, in which the fpoint of an elastic spring is in serted, b y which it isreadily brought to its place again'after the wire ends are cut on".

The handles of the pinchers 2 3, Fig. 5, correspond to 23, Fig. 1 5 but the cutter and jaws of the pinchers are not seen inthe latter ligure. Thisl cutter is suddenly pressed down for execution by the lever e 1', which isbolted at one end to the' stand() O and at the otheri a spring which brings back this lever to its place immediately after it ha's'd'oue its work.

Instead of placing the cutter just described -.on the side ofthe plnchers for cutting oli' ,the

)vire ends,'a separate shears may be located v forthis purpose between the piuchers and the wheel P, Fig. 1, -which may be operated in a way similar to that labove'described; but the cutter as above described is more simple and better adapted to the purpose,

When the necessaryrevolutions are given to the wheel P, Fig. 1,' to give the required twists to the heddle. as before described, the end a of the slide-bar a b, Fig. 2, 4is left in the .position seen at P, Fig. 1, presented laterally opposite the end of the crooked lever f W I, at the point I. The crookv in this lever is hid in the drawing behind the bar k u at the point k. This lever thrusts back the slidebar P, Fig. 1, withdrawing'the 'Wedge-t c, Fig. 2 from between the wires. This lever is op- .erated by the pin, at b in the upper side of the bar 19 20. This pin, in the direct'movement of the bar 19 20, before described,

which disengages the catch VI and X from holding the two sets of pinchers, strikes the cam nfon the crooked lever f W I.y This drives'the lever f W I directly forward, and, striking'the slide bar at P, Fig. 1, by the end I Aof the lever, .presses it back to its plat-e.

To form; the 'selvage-heddle'by theimachine,

improved as herein specified, finishing itready for use, as shown in Fig. 9, it is simply required to remove the wheel S, Fig. 1. or raise it out of gearing with the adjacent Wheels.

. VThis being done, the shaft d will remain statiOna-ry,vand the machine will then complete` the selvage-heddle.

I do not claim the 01d machine herein described, as being one heretofore used, and by which an incomplete heddle is produced; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The before-described arran gen1 en t, combination,'and adjustment, with the said Old machine, of the additional Wheel H On the main transverse shaft Y, Fig. 1, the pinion, U, and

the shaft LS, moved 'by it, Wheel a on the other4 end of theshaft, the short shaft d, and the two Wheels c and h o upon it, wheel P and its attachments, and thej cutter a, attached to. the pinchers, asshown in Fig. 5, for trimming Oii' the burr at the end of the hedd1e,and` also` the levers D, f, W, I, `3, 4,0, e, and r, whereby the heddle is made complete in one machine at one-*and the same Operation, Or

any other combination which is substantially l the same thing and by which analogous resuits are produced.

2. What is herein termed wheel I), as herein described, andI as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

MILTON FINKLE. Vitnesses:

JOHN F. SEYMOUR,

W. C. JOHNSON. 

